Torpedo.



" s. E. HES'SE.

- TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5.19m.

Pa-tnted Apr. 1919.

' And/Mn GUSTAF EMIL HESSE, OF BROOKLYNfiNEW YORK, ASSIGNOB 0F ONE-HALF T0 GEORGE H.

- H pig-mum.

I' e whemlit m WWW 13 i ne at 1 fias'e r leet-Hesse, 5* subje the Kineai Waie ian e ent s li qk ysa n-lthetest at Ki s NeYYUYerkahese istentedlcertee h n sset l improvements an; Tee pe ss e avhtqh the e i aiseis a p The e ti el eheatesh m t r to be dis her ed ram is or i ede W e t an OQEQMZO de t qy tv Myin esfi ni sv lres anew spn of torpedo,-. h r ythe torpedo vhssflis ers direy abel. firm y spurse and r -e strai ht-4e1 ass ss ble raiee era lea ee nse w h mytiev h ion. fibBn Qlf-T Pe alee ig d y-i secure t it prsp ller and. h fe eer emet a 9r trev eit he o pedo; se er er et '99' .=l h i% QIleQ i1 1E nrenslles i ti esamed e dtm s isei y bl mta iea of the oen ils-a a wh le-seat qng ti iualae e- ElZheatQ PedQ i mi i i r eie d i r et ntd risg; he see ed oasis: tance it is desired the same shall traxgehby the a ti n o o-g gsneret dth n i e eep eae de nsessnrethmugh svelsely rang d p sseg ae enfiingshr ugh opposite de we l o beapp o aleither-torpe o ffmm an ten es srshambe t mbs ,exterio 'of the p Ehe P erles ere-g to rotating h o ped isapmi uaedi. by r ha au mat n tion v., 1:T. suitable N harge oi. HOWQBILQE he l k a s n sedlges ehemher; antlers int r or Me hQn /QEPEQQ-J mmqdml fibb e uth discharge of the torpedo from aigun or tube, s; e an softgas-rpre usi g ipowdexi psing n rely independen t-he ns al i Qsine charge at t e forwa and .ef1t e torneie The ignition of thetgasPmd-ucmg; cheese s efieete e on theu is harg; fij he {to pedo from s or tub lbn hea ionl fi nt firingp n tni ingfa iulmina esuiteblyrp im d n th ze1a n-.:te aids argeaand the ga tresult ngsiromi.-; h ignition f said charge i r liedjnno e mits e ape" hroughth raforesaid reversely dispnsedr ss ges tb efi et .hati oti Ona v 025;; hm. torpedo I and its p ope l and onsequ nt y lt ei forwar movement of the torpedo toward the object im d: at. ipew rvga iisegnfinedv within a ber. whoseion taoufl ts e athe afore= s id, rerselydisposed-passages; andto t insure economy in the use of the gas and regulanity in the movement l-o l {t e ztorpedo ,tv..I

Mi provide within the gasehamberguautomatic iw fiw e of Ps -c st j en Patented Apr. 29,1919. 1) mflmuqniqlee J n, 1917;..- Seria1No.172 ,878.

slide valves or gates which on the first generation of the gas, more or; less close, the

entrances to said, passages (,the gas thentbeing under-qnaximum pressure), and then gradually recede from said entrances-as the gas-pressu-refllessens and itnis desirable to permit agradually increased volume of the gas, toenter said passages.

The invention will be ,fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a torpedo embodying the features of my invent pn;

Fig. 2 is a, corresponding section on a larger scale through a portion of the same;

Fig. 3 is a verticaltransversesection on a- -stillilarger' scale, through the same, taken on? the dotted line 3 3 of Fig.2;

eFig'Aeis acorr'esponding section through a portion of the same,=taken-.on the dotted lineal- 1 of Fig. .2 and a Fig. 5 is a. detached vertical transverse section through-ta detail of the same. a t In the drawings, 10 designates the torpedo as a whole, and-thistorpedo comprises a rearwardly tapered casing-shell 11,,a forward casing-shell 12 of the usual type, and aniintermediate shell or casing 13, these several shells being secured together and constitutin the exterior casing of the torpedo.- The-she l 12 will contain the usual explosive charge; 14 and be provided withthe cus tomaryufiringpin 15; v The rear end of the shell llwhas rigidly secured to it a propeller 16',-and this propeller during the rotary mo tiOnzo-f the-torpedo impels the. torpedo-"forwardlyfl :-'I'he. propeller derives its motion solely bythe rotation of the torpedo as a Whole. -v ,.The;shells 11, 12 may be of any suitable or desiredaconstruction. t ilhe:shell Ltpossesses the novel features of. my ;invention, .-and this shell 13.: is. prefer-7 abtyofdurable cast metal and of: cylindrical oiitlinei-and at its opposite ends said shell lihhfih secured. to; it. the adjoining ends of the shells 11, 12: The: shellv13 has an intes gmllylclosed rear." end, and at iisforward' forward end of the shell 13 and the. .exp1o.-.

sive charge 14. The shell 13 is formed in its opposite sides with reversely directed curved slots or passages 19, 20, these passages cor"- responding with each other, except that they are reversed in direction. The passages 19,- 20 are employed in connection with a gas enerated within the chamber 21 of the eas- 111g 13 for irnpelling rotary motion of the torpedo. Within the rear end of the casing or shell 13 is placed a charge of powder or equivalent substance 22, and Within said end of the casing and Within the charge of powder 22 is confineda tube 23 which is slotted at its rear end, as shown in Fig} 2, and at its front end contains a reasonably heavy firing=-pin 24 which is normally held stationary by a Weakor fragile transverse pin 25 which extends through the firing-pin 24 and the opposite sides of the tube 23, as shown in Fig. 5.

Within the rear slotted end of the tube 23 is placed a fulm'inate 26', the fulminate being in line with the pin 24, which is slightly pointed at its inner end.

Within the casing 13 are provided two gates or valves 27,- 28 arranged to slide over and from the ends of the passages19, 20 so as to more" or less close said passages at the starting of the operation and then recede gradually from over said passages, thereby gradually widening the entrances for the gas to said passages. The gatesor valves 27, 28 may slide on the inner wall of the casing 13 and are held by the free ends of bowed springs 29,- 30 whose rear ends are rigidly secured to the casing or shell 13. When the springs 29, '30 are in their initial condition,- shownin Fig. 2,- they hold the valves or gates 27, 28 rearwardly away from the entrances to the passages 19, 20, but when said springs are straightened'out by pressure created within the chamber 21, they slide said valves or gates frontward'ly over the entrances to the sages 19, 20, and then as the pressure within the chamber 21 gradually lessens, the springs=29,-30 gradually return to therinitial position and at the same time draw the valves or gates 27, 28 rearwardly from over the entrances to the passages 19, 20. The springs 29, 30 have connected with them pins 31 which enter holes 32 in the sides of the casing or shell 13 and normally bear against reasonably yield-- ab-le' plugs33 (whic may he of wax) located within the outer portions of said holes.= The springs 29, 30 normally engage a small bearing surface, as a ball 34 (Fig.- 4), held by the heads of the pins 31', leaving. said heads exposed to the res'sure which may be created within the'c amber 21. The in s 31 have loops on their head portions w ieh are freely strung upon the springs 29,- 30.- When the torpedo of my invention is dis-' charged from agun or tube, the inertia of the firing pin: 24; causes the breaking. oi the" weak pin 25, and thereupon the pin 24 slides along the tube 23 and strikes the fuhninate 26, this resultin in the ignition of the charge of powder 22 and the creation therebyof a large volume of gas within the confining chamber 21. Tlns gas acts against the springs 29, 30 and pins 81, and the pins 31 are thereby forced outwardly, driving the plugs 3-3 from the holes 32, with the result that the springs 29, 30 are straightened out and move the valves or gates 27, 28 to nearly. close the entrances to the passa es 19, 20. The gas created Within the chain 921' 21 serves as the power,--eseaping through the reverse passages 19, 20 to rapidly rotate the torpedo on its longitudinal axis.- As the gas pressure lessens in the chamber 21 the springs 29, 30 gradually draw the gates or valves 27, 28 rearwardly from over the on trances to the passages 19, 20 so that as the pressure of gas lessens the volume entering the passages 19, 20 may be increased and the torpedo kept in rotation. The purpose is to permit only enough of the gas in the chainliier' 21 to escape through the reverse passages 19, 20 to keep the torpedo in rotation, and the charge of powder "22 or other substance employed to create the gas will'be suflicient, in quantity, to make enough gas to keep the torpedo in rotation during the distance it is designed the torpedo shall travel before: striking theobject was aimed at. During the rotation of the torpedo by the discharge of gas from the chamber 21 into and through the reverse passages 19', 20, the rigidly afiiite'd prop ller 16 efl'ec'ts the travel of the torpedo.- The revolving motion of the torpedo acts to hold the torpedo firmly its course, giving it a straight and dependable trajectory movement. Whenthe main firingin 15 strikes the intendee object, the materi l, 14' is ex" ploded in the customary way.-

invention does not pertain to'the ferwetdend or part 12" of the torpedo, but resides m'ore' 'particu larly, with a rigidly afiixed propeller'lfi', to the feetures'centeineu within the' casing o r shelll3, with the use of which thetor euo is eausecl to rapidly revolve. I

I do not limit the invention to the par ticul'ar details of mechanism contained within the chamber '21 since my; inventionis of broader scope than such details and involves not only a new construction of torpedo but a. ne method of propelling the same, this method broadly comprising" the rotation of the tor edo-to inaugurateand maintain the forward travel of the same.-

What I claim as my invention and desir'e' to secure by Letters P tent, is':'

1. A' torpede having a propeller and means for effecting the rotation of the ter: pedoon its projection from a un or tube;

2.- A 'torpedohaving; meansenefieeting mew-ma as rtitaitiofofi aea auaiaamsisea the P je t n a as soa ghner tubeg aild -al's'o lraviifg i'iihan s operable from such rotation for effecting tlie fdt 'ward travel of the torpedUF l l?- 3. A torpedo having means for effecting its rotation on its longitudinal axis on the prejeaianeeeae mrpeaemawa gamer tube, and also having means operable" such rotation for effecting the forward travel of the torpedo, said means for effecting' the rotation of the torpedo comprising a gas-producing charge therein, means for firing said charge on the projection of the torpedo, and an exit for the gas in a direc tion to permit the gas to rotate the torpedo.

4. A torpedo having means for effecting its rotation on its longitudinal axis on the projection of the torpedo from a gun or tube, and also having means operable from such rotation for effecting the forward travel of the torpedo, said means for effecting the rotation of the torpedo comprising a gas-producing charge therein, means for firing said charge on the projection of the torpedo and an exit for the gas in a direction to permit the gas to rotate the torpedo, and-means for automatically controlling the flow of gas through said exit.

5A torpedo having in its head an explosive charge and means for effecting the explosion of the same, at its rear portion a fixed prppeller, in its body portion a gaschamber having reversely disposed outlets for gas to effect the rotation of the torpedo,

and in said body portion a gas-producing charge, with means to explode it on the projection of the torpedo, the gas entering said chamber.

6. A torpedo having in its head an explosive charge and means for effecting the explosion of the same, at its rear portion a fixed propeller, in its body portion a gaschamber having reversely dis osed outlets for gas to effect the rotation o the torpedo, in said body portion a gas-producing charge, with means to explode it on the projection of the torpedo, the gas entering said chamber, and means for automatically controlling the escape of the gas through said outlets in accordance with its premure.

7. A torpedo having in its head an explosive charge and means for effecting the explosion of the same, at its rear portion a fixed pro eller, in its body ortion a gaschamber' aving reversely disposed outlets for gas to effect the rotationof the torpedo,

SrjAFtm-Pede 'hayin imits head atrexpiesire eliarge and meansfor efiectihgthe"exglasses cf ane same; at its rear" p rtion a xeii 'pre elder; iii iwbddw portion a aschamber avingreversely V i ghs'Wli fi'edt th ifiitatlohb the torpedo, in said body portion a gas; roducing charge, l o are prb ectioiibf thitOrpedo, the gas entering said chamber and means for automatically controlling the escape of the gas through said outlets in accordance with its ressure and corn-prising bowed springs held at one end and having slide valves at their free ends adapted to move over said outlets when the springs are straightened out under the maximum gas pressure and to gradually recede from over said outlets as the gas pressure lessens and said sprin s gradually become restored to their initia condition.

9, A torpedo having in its head an explosive charge and means for efi'ec'ting the explosion of thewsame, at its rear portion a fixed propeller, in its body portion a as chamber having reversely dis osed out ets for gas to effect the rotation o the torpedo, in said body portion a gas-producing charge, with means to explode it on the projection of the torpedo, the gas entering said chamher, and means for automaticaly controlling the escape of the gas through said outlets in accordance with its pressure and com rising bowed springs held at one end and aving slide valves at their free ends adapted to move over said outlets when the sprlngs are straightened out under the maximum gas pressure and to adually recede from over said outlets as t e gas pressure lessens and said springs gradually become restored to their imtial condition, pins engaged with said springs and entering holes in the shell of the torpedo, and yieldable plugs in the outer ends of said holes to be driven out on the outward movement of said pins due to the gas-pressure.

10. A torpedo comprising a forward shellsection having an explosive charge and means for exploding the same, a rear shellsection having a propeller secured to it, and an intermediate shell-section aflording a gaschamber and containing a gas producing charge, with means to explode it on the projection of the torpedo, said intermediate shell-section having means to permit the escape of the gas in a direction to rotate the torpedo on its longitudinal'axis.

11. A torpedo comprising a forward shelL section having an explosive charge and means for exploding the same, a-rear shellsection havin a propeller secured to it, and an intermediate shell-section 'aflording a gas-chamber and containing a as-produc ing charge, with means to explo e it on the projection of the torpedo, said intermediate shell-section having means to permit the esdis osed out iets cape of the gas in a direction to rotate the of New York and State of New York, this torpedo on its longitudinal axis, and also 4th day of June, A. D. 1917. means for automatically controlling the es- 1 GUSTAF EMIL HESSE.

cape of the gas in accordance with its pxcs- Witnesses: v 5 sure. ARTHUR MARION,

Signed at vNew York city, in the county CHAS. C. GILL.

Gopie; at 111 patent niay be obtained or five cent: each, by addressing the Oommiuioner of Patent,

- Washington, D. G." 

